Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a paper sheet dividing
apparatus for dividing into stacks each having a
fixed number of paper sheets the paper sheets supplied
one by one by a conveying path and transferring
the stacks successively to a predetermined
position.
Heretofore, apparatus for handling paper sheets,
for example, bank notes, data cards and various printed
matter have been in practical use. In recent years,
I demand for a high-speed paper-sheet dividing apparatus
has steadily increased.
For example, bank notes are divided into paper
sheet stacks having a fixed number of paper sheets.
Each stack is bundled with a suitable belt and then kept
in storage. As it is inefficient to divide the paper
sheets manually into stacks, an automatically operated
dividing apparatus is usually used to divide the bank
notes into stacks and to bundle them. In such an
apparatus, paper sheets supplied one by one can be
I stacked without stopping the supply of the paper sheets.
It is considered that the desired dividing apparatus can
continuously pile the paper sheets supplied one by one
without interruption, and while the paper sheets are
piled as described above, the paper sheets are divided
into groups each including a fixed number of paper
sheets.
In order to provide a dividing apparatus as
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described above, a conventional method for changing the
traveling direction of paper sheets, called a beat
method, has been adopted, wherein each of the paper
sheets supplied at a high speed is thrown from the
end of the conveying path. The floating paper
sheet is then struck by a reciprocal member and
dropped to a pile at a predetermined stacking position.
The traveling direction changing means has a limited
high-speed response, i.e., when the reciprocal member
is driven at high speed and with a constant amplitude,
the inertial force of the reciprocal member, and
consequently the force applied to the traveling
direction changing means, is increased. As a result,
since operation of the apparatus becomes unstable and
the paper sheets are often piled in a bent or disrupted
state, it becomes necessary to strengthen the structure
ox the apparatus increasing the cost
Accordingly, an apparatus using the beat method is
not suitable for high speed operation. In order to
eliminate the a~ove-mentioned disadvantages, an
apparatus having a blade wheel has been developed. The
blade wheel has a plurality of blades extending in the
same direction from the vicinity of a shaft of the blade
wheel to its periphery. Between every adjacent two
blades a space or slot is formed, and each paper sheet
supplied from the end of the conveying path is inserted
in the slot. The paper sheets in the slots are
delivered therefrom and piled in a predetermined
position of a transfer means to make stacks each having
a fixed number of paper sheets.
Dow, assume the number of paper sheets supplied per
minute to the blade wheel is I, the period a-t which
successive two paper sheets are supplied is t second,
the number of slots formed in the blade wheel is m, the
angle between two adjacent blades is a degree and the
rotating speed at which the blade must Wright is n.
Then t, and n is expressed as follows.
t = 60/~ sea
a - 360/m deg. = l/m revolution
n = 1/60 , I rips = N/m rum
m N 60 m
For example, when N = 1,800 and m = 18, then
n is 100. This example shows what even if the paper
sheets era supplied at a high speed of 1,800 per
minute, the blade wheel rotating at a relatively low
speed of 100 rum is able to receive the paper sheets
and discharge them at a predetermined position to make
a stack.
Heretofore, means for dividing the paper sheets is
provided to cooperate with the blade wheel which is
effective for dividing the paper sheets into groups
containing a fixed number of paper sheets without
interrupting the supply of paper sheets. The
dividing means is rutted at a higher speed than the
blade wheel through a space defined between an end of
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the conveying means of the paper sheets and the blade
wheel. The moving of the dividing means is carried out
in the dead time in which a gap of -the adjacent -two
paper sheets passes through the space. Then the
dividing means temporarily receives the paper sheets
discharged from the blade wheel and delivers them onto
a stacking means. The delivering of the paper sheets
supported on the dividing member is carried out after
the stack of paper sheets which is previously made on
the stacking means is transferred to a predetermined
position.
When the paper sheets are supplied at high speed,
the dead time becomes short and the speed of -the
dividing means passing the space between the end of the
conveying means and the blade wheel must be high. Thus
the operation of the dividing means becomes unstable,
paper sheets to be supplied to the blade wheel are of-ten
blocked and/or joined by a large inertial force caused
by the high speed movement of the dividing means.
Furthermore, force applied to the mechanical parts of
the paper-sheet dividing apparatus due to inertia is
increased and a powerful driving means for the mechanical
parts is required resulting in large size and high cost.
As mentioned above, even if stacking means with the
blade wheel is suited for high speed piling operation,
the dividing means to be combined with the stacking
means is jot suitable for high speed operation.
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Thoroughfare -the apparatus including the stacking means
and dividing means as described above is not suitable
for high speed operation.
An object of the present invention is to provide
a paper-sheet dividing apparatus for dividing paper
sheets, which are supplied one by one at a high speed,
and piling them to make stacks of a fixed number.
To achieve this object, the apparatus of this
invention comprises a blade wheel having a rotating
shaft and a plurality of firs blades each extending
outward from near the rotating shaft; inserting
means for putting each of the paper sheets into a
space formed between two adjacent first blades; means
for discharging the paper sheets each inserted in the
slot; stacking means for piling the paper sheets
discharged from the spaces; a second blade having sub-
staunchly the same shape as that of the first blade;
supporting means for rotatable supporting the second
blade which is substantially coaxial with the first
blade; means for rotating the second blade at the same
rotating speed as that of the first blade from a stop
position to a dividing position and thereafter moving
the second blade away from the rotating shaft of the
blade wheel.
According to the paper-sheet dividing apparatus
of this invention, the second blade having a paper
sheet receiving surface substantially the same shape as
aye
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that of -the paper sheet receiving surface of the first
blade is rotated to divide the paper sheets into groups
having a fixed number of paper sheets. The second blade
is rotated at substantially the same rotating speed
as that of the first blade of the blade wheel
As described above, since the second blade rotates
together with the blade wheel as if the second blade
is a part of the blade wheel, the apparatus is capable
of dividing the paper sheets into groups having a fixed
number of paper sheets without deterioration of the
excellent high speed performance of the blade wheel.
In the paper sheet dividing apparatus of this invention,
stacking means and dividing means each having excellent
high speed performance are combined.
This invention can be more fully understood
from the following detailed description when taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
in which:
Fig. l is a front view of a paper-sheet dividing
apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention,
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus in
Fig. 1 taken along the line II - II and viewed in the
direction of the arrow,
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the apparatus in
Fig. l taken along the line III - III and viewed in
the direction of the arrow;
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Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the apparatus in
Fig. 1 taken along the wine IV - IV and viewed in the
direction of the arrow;
Fig. 5 is a schematic view for explaining the
operation of a second blade of the apparatus shown in
Fig. l;
Fig. 6 is a timing chart for explaining the
operation of the main part of the apparatus shown in
Fig. l;
Figs. PA, 7B, 7C, ED, YE, OF, 7G, OH, I, 7J and
OK are front views for explaining the steps of operation
of the apparatus over time,
Fig. 8 is a front view of a paper-sheet dividing
apparatus according to another embodiment of the
present invention;
Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the apparatus shown
in Fig. 8 taken along the line IX - IX and viewed in
the direction of the arrow' and
Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the apparatus shown
in Fig. 8 taken along the line X - X and viewed in
the direction of the arrow.
A support plate 3 shown in Fig. 1 comprises two
support plates pa and 3b which are substantially
parallel to each other, as shown in Fig. 2. Suffixes a
an b of reference numeral 3 are designated to
distinguish between the two support plates. When only
reference numeral 3 is used, the two support plates
.
need not be distinguished. (Suffixes a and b of any
reference numeral used hereinafter have the same
function The support plates pa and 3b are disposed
on a fixing plate 2 to be substantially perpendicular
thereto at a predetermined interval. The fixing plate
2 is mounted on a base plate 1 to be substantially
perpendicular thereto. As shown in Fig. 1, a vertical
side wall 13 is disposed at the left-hand side of the
support plates 3. Shafts 7, 8 and 9 are rotatable
supported at points A, B and C of the upper left portions
of -the support plates 3 through bearings pa and 4b,
bearings pa and 5b, and bearings pa and 6b, respectively,
as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, such that each of the shafts
7, 8 and 9 has two ends which respectively extend
through -the support plates pa and 3b so as to have
extending portions of the same length. Axes of the
shafts 7, 8 and 9 correspond to points A, B and C,
respectively. Points A and B are substantially
aligned on a vertical line and the points B and C are
20 substantially aligned on a horizontal line, as shown in
Fig. 1. Therefore, points A, B and C constitute a
right-angled triangle ABC. The vertices of triangle
ABC will be described later.
As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, blade wheels lo and lob
are mounted on the extending portions of the shaft 7
which respectively extend outside the support plates pa
and 3b. The blade wheels lo and lob rotate
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counterclockwise in Fig. 1. Point A indicates the
axis of the blade wheel 10. The blade wheel 10 has a
disc shape as a whole, as shown in Fig. 1. The blade
wheel 10 has 12 first blades 12 of an involute curve
which have the same shape. The 12 first blades 12
extend outward at equal angular intervals of 30 in a
direction opposite to the rotating direction of -the
wheel from the disc portion having a radius R in the
vicinity of the center of the blade wheel. Any -two
adjacent blades among the blades 12 define a curved
space or slot 11 of an involute curve. A paper sheet
50 is intended to be inserted in the corresponding
curved slot 11. As shown in Fig. 3, a pulley 14 is
mounted on the shaft 7 between the support plates pa
and 3b. As shown in Fig. 4, a pulley 15 is mounted on
a shaft 15 between the support plates pa and 3b. The
shaft 15 extends through the base plate 1. A trays
mission belt 17 is looped around the pulleys 14 and 16
(Figs. 1 and 4). An extending portion left in Fig. 4)
of the shaft 15 which extends outward from the base plate
1 is coupled to a motor 18. The motor 18 is mounted on
the base plate 1 through a proper mounting member (not
shown). As shown in Fig. 4, a pulley 19 is mounted on a
portion of the shaft It which is disposed between the
base plate 1 and the support plate 3b. The pulley 19
is coupled to a pulley 22 through a transmission belt
20. The pulley 22 is mounted on a shaft 21 one end
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of which is rotatable supported on the base plate 1.
A shaft 24 is supported by the support plates pa and 3b
to be coaxial with the shaft 21. The shafts 21 and 24
are coupled/uncoupled by a clutch mechanism 23 disposed
5 there between. A pulley 25 is mounted on a portion of
the shaft 24 which is disposed between the support plates
pa and 3b. A transmission belt 26 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4)
is looped around the pulley 25 and a pulley 27 mounted
on the shaft 9. Pulleys aye and 28b are mounted at two
ends of the shaft 9, as shown in Fig. 2. Pulleys aye
and 30b which have the same diameters as those of the
pulleys aye and 28b are mounted at the two ends of the
shaft 7 through bearings aye and 29b, respectively.
Furthermore, as shown in Fig. I pulleys aye and 32b
which have the same diameters as those of the pulleys
aye, ~8b, aye and 30b are mounted at the two ends of the
shafts 8 through bearings aye and 31b, respectively.
The axes of the pulleys 28, 30 and 32 correspond to
points C, A and B (Fig. 1), respectively. A conveyor
belt 34 is looped around the pulleys 28, 30 and 32.
As previously described, points A, B and C correspond
to vertices of the right-angled triangle ABC, so that
the conveyor belt 34 travels in the direction indicated
by an arrow 73 along a right-angled triangular path of
three lines obtained by connecting three arc portions
thereof.
A dividing member 38 is mounted on the conveyor
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belt 34 and serves to divide the paper sheets 50. As
shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the dividing member 38
comprises a distal end portion 35 mixed, for example,
by a rivet at toe outer side of the conveyor belt 34 as
shown in Figs. 1 and 2, an arm 36 which has one end
formed integrally with the distal end portion 35 and
which extends substantially perpendicular to the travel
direction of the part of the conveyor belt 34 along the
side surface of the blade wheel 10, this part opposing
the position of the distal end portion: and a second
blade 37 having a paper sheet supporting surface aye and
extending from the other end (i.e., extending end 33)
of the arm 36 substantially parallel to the side
surface of the first blade 12. When the conveyor
I belt 34 is driven, the dividing member 38 is moved
together with the conveyor welt 34. When the distal
end portion 35 of the dividing member 38 is moved along
the periphery ox the pulley 30, the arm 36 is oriented
in a direction toward the point A (i.e., the radial
direction of the pulley 30), and the dividing member 38
is rotated about a point P. Point P indicates an
axis of the pivotal movement of the dividing member 38.
Point P coincides with point A in Fig. 1. When
the dividing member 38 is moved together with the
conveyor belt 34, and the distal end portion 35 ox
the dividing member 38 reaches the periphery of
the pulley 32, point P coincides with point B
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in Fig. 1. The dividing member 38 is rotated coccal
with the pulley 32 using point P as a center.
However, when the distal end portion 35 moves along
the periphery of the pulley 28, point P coincides
with point C, 50 that the dividing member 38 it
rotated about point P coccal with the pulley 28.
When the distal end portion 35 is moving on the straight
traveling portion of the conveyor belt 34, the dividing
member 38 moves parallel Jo the plane of the triangle
ABC while it arm 36 is perpendicular to the straight
traveling portion.
A pin 40 is mounted at point P of the arm
36 so as to properly perform the above mentioned
movement of the dividing member 38, as shown in Fig. 3.
A bearing 41 is pitted around the pin 40. The bearing
41 is guided along a guide wall 44 formed in a guide
recess 43 (Figs. 2 and I which is formed in a guide
plate 42. A distance between -the extending end 33 of
the arm 36 and point P is substantially the same as
the radius R of the disc portion which surrounds the
axis of the blade wheel 10. The distance between the
distal end portion 35 and the axis of the blade wheel
10 is predetermined to be substantially the distance
rod (where r is the radius of the pulley 30 and d it
the thickness of the conveyor belt 34). The second
blade 37 comprises a proximal portion 57 and an extending
portion 58 (Fig. 1). These portions 57 and 58 comprise
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an involute curve which is the same as that of each of
the first blades 12. The proximal portion 57 has
substantially the same shape as that of the first
blades 12 of the blade wheel 10. The extending portion
58 extends integrally from the proximal portion 57.
When the axes of the dividing member 38 and -the blade
wheel 10 coincide with point A in Fig. 1 and -the
dividing member 38 and the blade wheel 10 relatively
rotate through a suitable angle, the integral
formation of the arm 36 and the second blade 37 allows
matching of the proximal portion 57 of the dividing
member 38 with the first blade 12 of to blade wheel
10 in the axial direction when the position of the
sorting member 38 is moved relative to the blade wheel
10. In this case, matching the axial direction
means that the first blade 12 it superposed or overlaid
on the proximal portion 57 when the blade wheel 10 and
the dividing member 38 are viewed in the axial
direction. This condition is simply referred to as a
I matched state of the blade wheel 10 and -the dividing
member 38 in the axial direction. The conveyor belt 34
and the blade wheel 10 are driven by a single motor 18,
so that they are driven at the same rotational speed.
Therefore, when the dividing member 38 is coccal
rotated together with the blade wheel 10, the dividing
member 38 can be rotated while matched with the blade
wheel 10 in the axial direction.
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Fig. 5 shows positional relationships among -the
pulleys 30, 32 and 28, the conveyor heft 34 which
travels in the direction indicated by the arrow 73, -the
dividing member 38, points A, B, C and P, the guide
wall 44, and two curved slots 11 (only that portion of
-the slots in the vicinity of the center of the blade
wheel 10). As shown in Fig. 5, the distance between
the distal end portion 35 of the dividing member 38 and
point P is substantially equal to the distance rod.
The distance between the extending end 33 of the
arm 36 and point P is substantially equal to the
distance corresponding to the radius R. The guide wall
44 having toe guide recess 43 therein so as to guide the
dividing member 38 comprises three lines obtained by
connecting arcs owe three small circles when the bearing
41 fitted over the pin 40 reaches points A, B and C.
When viewed toward -the direction of Fig. 1 and 5, the
guide wall 44 has a substantially right-angled
triangular shape.
2Q The dividing member 38 illustrated in the upper
portion of Fig. 5 is positioned at a portion of the
conveyor belt 34 which is brought into contact with the
periphery of the pulley 30. The dividing member 38 is
then rotated about the axis corresponding to point
A) of the pin 40 located coccal with the pulley 30.
; The dividing member 38 partially illustrated in the
lower portion of Fig. 5 is located at a portion of the
I
conveyor belt 34 it which the distal end portion 35
runs vertically. The arm 36 is or inked in a sub Stan-
tidally horizontal direction and is moved vertically.
As shown in Fig. 1, upper and lower conveyor belts
47 and 46 are disposed to supply the paper sheet 50,
which travels in the direction indicated by the arrow
70 above the blade wheel 10, to the blade wheel 10.
A pulley 45 serves to drive the belt 46 so as to reverse
the conveying direction. A pulley 48 serves to drive
the conveyor bolt 47 so as to reverse the conveying
direction. The conveyor belt 46 travels superposed on
the conveyor belt 47 from the right-hand direction.
The superposed portion of the conveyor belts 46 and 47
on the right-hand side of the pulley 45 serves as a
conveying path 49 of the paper sheet. The paper sheet
50 is transferred from the right along the conveying
path 49. When the paper sheet passes over the pulley
45, it is discharged from the conveying path 49 and is
sequentially received in the curved slot 11 of the
blade wheel 10.
A stopper 51 (Figs. 1 and 2) is disposed between
the support plate pa and 3b (Fig. 2) to discharge the
paper sheet 50 (Figs. 1 and 3) from the corresponding
curved slot 11 of the collecting wheel 10. The stopper
51 obliquely extends from the the lower peripheral
portion of the blade wheel 10 toward the upper left
when viewed from the direction of Fig. 1. The distal
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end of the stopper 51 reaches the vicinity of the
proximal end of the curved slot 11. With rotation of
the blade wheel 10, the stopper 51 is inserted in the
curved slot 11 and limits movement of the paper sheet 50
rotated counterclockwise together with -the blade wheel
10. The stopper 51 then removes the paper sheet 50 from
the curved slot 11.
A conveyor belt 60 is disposed under the blaze
wheel 10 a shown in Fig. 1. The conveyor belt 60
receives the paper sheet 50 discharged from the curved
slot 11. Furthermore, when toe predetermined number
of paper sheets is piled thereon, the stack of paper
sheets is conveyed to a predetermined position by the
conveyor belt Go. When a motor 63 mounted on the base
plate 1 (Fix. 4) through a proper member (not shown is
driven, the rotational force of the motor 63 is
transmitted to a pulley 61 through a shaft 62. Upon
rotation of the pulley 61, the conveyor belt 60 is
driven in the direction indicated by an arrow 75, so
that the stack of a predetermined number of plate sheets
placed on the conveyor belt 60 is transferred to the
left in jig. 1.
The paper sheet 50 fed through the conveyor
path 49 shown in Fig. 1 is inserted ion a curved slot 11
such that the two sides of the paper sheet correspond
to inner sides of the curved slots ha and fib,
respectively. Since the dividing members aye and 38b
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are disposed outside the blade wheel 5 lo and lob
respectively, the paper sheet discharged from the
curved slot 11 is supported on the dividing members aye
and 38b at two positions located outside the positions
at which the paper sheet is supported by the blade
wheels lo and lob
The operation of the paper-sheet dividing apparatus
having the structure described above will now be
described. Twelve first blades 12 are disposed in the
blade wheel 10 at equal angular intervals ox 30.
Twelve curved slots 11 are thus formed in the blade
wheel 10. Referring to Fig. 1, assume that 1200 paper
sheets are fed per minute along the conveyor path 49
(i.e., the paper sheets are supplied at intervals of 50
my). Fig. 6 shows timing charts pa), (b) and (c) wherein
time is plotted along the abscissa. the Hart (a)
indicates a time when the paper sheet 50 is completely
inserted in the curved slot 11. This time is indicated
by a line segment extending upward from the abscissa.
Numerals along the abscissa indicate main line segment
numbers. Now assume that paper sheets are supplied to
the blade wheel to be divided into stacks of 100.
Time if in the chart pa) indicates a time when the first
paper sheet among -the 100 paper sheets is inserted in
the corresponding curved slot 11. Time too indicates
a time when the Thea paper sheet is inserted in the
corresponding curved slot 11. Reverence symbol To
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denotes a time interval from lime if to ~100~ and Tub,
a time interval from time too to tl05- Other time
intervals and times can be inferred from the above
description. Reference symbol t at ye left of the
chart (a) indicates a time interval during which the
blade wheel 10 is rotated through 30 (i.e., 50 my).
The above-mentioned speed then indicates that the
blade wheel is rotated at a speed of 100 rum. The
blade wheel 10 is rotated by the motor 18 through
-the shaft 15, the pulley 16, the transmission belt 17,
the pulley 14 and the shaft 7 at the above-mentioned
speed, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4.
The timing chart (by of Fig. 6 indicates the
operation of the clutch mechanism 23. The rectangular
wave periods between times too and tl50 and aster a
time t200 indicate that the clutch mechanism 23 is
operated. During these periods, the conveyor belt 34
is driven, and the dividing member 38 it rotated or
moved parallel (described later). During any period
other than those for which the clutch mechanism 23
is operated, the clutch mechanism 23 is disabled,
the conveyor belt 34 is not driven, and -the dividing
member 38 is stopped at a predetermined stop pOSitiOIl
to be described later. The paper sheet 50 is delivered
from the end ox the conveyor path 49 along a line
tangent to the periphery of the blade wheel 10 and
is sequentially inserted in the curved slot 11 which
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is passing a space formed in front of the end of the
conveying path 49. Fig. 1 illustrates six curved slots
11 in which paper sheets 50 are respectively inserted.
The most delayed curved slot 11 corresponds to the
position at which the paper sheet is inserted, that is,
the paper sheet reception position. Therefore, no paper
sheet 50 is inserted into the curved slot 11 which is
passing a more delayed position than that of the most
delayed curved slot 11. The dividing member 38 lotted
at the stop position is matching along the axial
direction with the first blade 12 which is present
between the curved slot at the sheet reception position
and the next curved slot which is delayed by 30.
Accordingly, when the dividing member 38 is stopped
at the stop position, the second blade 37 does not
interfere with the insertion of the paper sheet 50
in the curved slot 11.
The timing chart (c) of Fig. 6 indicates the
operation of the motor 63 (Fig. 4) for driving the
conveyor belt 60 through the pulley 61. The rectangular
wave plotted along the abscissa indicates the operating
condition of the motor 63. The time at which the motor
63 starts and stops will be described later.
Fig. PA indicates the state wherein the motor 18
and both conveyor belts 46 and 47 are driven to convey
the paper sheet 50 along the conveying path 49, and
the paper sheet 50 is then sequentially inserted in the
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curved slot 11 which is passing the sheet reception
position. In this condition, the clutch mechanism 23
is disabled, and the dividing member 38 is set at the
stop position described above. Therefore, the paper
sheet it smoothly inserted in the corresponding curved
slot 11 without the interference of the dividing
member 38. The axes of the dividing member 38 and
the pin 40 are coaxial with that of -the blade wheel 10
and are indicated by point A. Referring to
Fig. AYE the dividing member 38 is stopped at the
s-top position and the arm 36 is inclined by 30
counterclockwise with respect to the horizontal line
passing through point A.
Paper sheets supplied to the blade wheel 10 at a
rate of 1200 per minuet are inserted into the core-
sponging curved slots 11 at a speed higher than that
ox the peripheral portion of the blade wheel 10. Each
paper sheet is inserted in the curved slot 11 of an
involute curve and slides between the adjacent first
blades 12. A frictional force between the first blades
12 and the paper sheet 50 allows reduction of the sup Ed
of the paper sheet 50, and the paper sheet 50 is
completely inserted in the curved slot 11. The insertion
speed gradually decreases such what by the time the paper
sheet 50 abuts against the stopper 51, and the speed
; of the paper sheet 50 is already substantially Nero.
Therefore, the leading end of a paper sheet 50 (except
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for a very soft paper sheet 50) should not be damaged
due to abutment between the paper sheet 50 and the
stopper 51.
When the blade wheel 10 is rotated counterclockwise,
S the paper sheet 50 is removed from the corresponding
curved slot 11 by the stopper 51. 'Foe paper sheet 50
then drops along the side wall 13 of the support plats
3 and is stacked on top of the previous dropped paper
sheet 50. This operation continues until 100 paper
sheets have been sequentially inserted in the
corresponding curved slots 11. Fig. PA shows a
condition during this operation. More particularly,
six paper sheets 50 from the Thea to Thea paper sheets
are inserted in the corresponding curved slots 11~
respectively. Two paper sheets 50 are dropping from
the collecting wheel 10, and the previous 92 paper
sheets 50 are stacked on the conveyor belt 60. The time
interval from the start point to the condition
indicated by Fig. PA corresponds to the time interval
To in chart (a) in Fig. 6. The time too indicate the
end of the time interval I.
When the Thea paper sheet is completely inserted
in the corresponding slot, the clutch mechanism 23 is
driven as indicated by chart (b) in Fig. 6. The shafts
21 and 24 (Fig. I are coupled to each other. During
this period, the dividing member 38 is kept stopped.
the second blade 37 is matched in the axial direction
,
I
with the first blade 12 positioned between the curved
slot which receives the Thea paper sheet and that
which receives the sty paper sheet. Therefore, when
: the shafts 21 and 24 are coupled to each other, the
second blade 37 is rotated counterclockwise together
with the first blade 12. The curved slot 11 which is
due to receive the sty paper sheet receives the sty
paper sheet at the sheet reception position. The
dividing member 38 is rotated such thaw the rotational
force of the motor 18 is transmitted to the pulley 27
through the transmission belts 20 and 26, the rotational
force of the pulley 27 is transmitted to the rotating
shaft 9 and the pulley 28 mounted thereon, and the
conveyor belt 34 looped around the pulleys 28~ 30 and 32
is driven. wince the pulleys 30 and 32 are supported
on the shafts 7 and 9 through the bearings 29 and 31,
respectively, the shafts 7 and 9 are not driven upon
movement of the conveyor belt 34.
Fig. 7B indicates that the conveyor belt 34 is
28 being driven and the dividing member I is being rotated
together with the blade wheel 10 from the condition
indicated in Fig. PA. Referring to Fig. 7B, the three
paper sheets 50 in the curved slots 11 located
preceding the dividing member 38 are being kept therein
without suffering the operation of the stopper 51. The
remaining 97 paper shocks have been discharged from the
blade wheel 10 and have been or are about to be stacked
Lo
on the conveyor belt 60. Three further paper sheets 50
are respectively inserted in the three curved slots 11
which follow the dividing member 38~ These paper sheets
50 are the first three paper sheets of the next 100
paper sheets to be divided.
Fig. 7C shows a state wherein the blade wheel 10
and the dividing member 38 are rotated from the state
indicated in Fig. 7B, and the arm 36 is orientated to
be substantially horizontal. This position of the
dividing member 38 is referred as a dividing position.
In this position the dividing member 38 acts to divide
Thea paper sheet from Thea paper sheet. Referring
to Fig. 7C, only one paper sheet 50 is left in the
corresponding curved slot 11 which are located preceding
the dividing member 38. I've previous 99 paper sheets
are stacked on the conveyor belt 60. Five further
paper sheets are respectively inserted in the curved
slots 11 which follow the dividing member 38. In this
manner, a time interval from the time too at which
I the Thea paper shock is completely inserted in the
corresponding curved slot to the time tl~5 at which the
Thea paper sheet is completely inserted in the core-
sponging curved slot corresponds to the time interval
Tub of the timing chart (a) of Fig. 6.
Fig, ED shows a state wherein the blade wheel 10
is further rotated and the conveyor belt 34 is driven
from the state shown in Ego. 7C. Referring to Fig. ED,
- 24 -
the dividing member 38 is moving vertically downward
upon movement of the conveyor belt 34. The downward
movement of the dividing member 38 is performed such
that the bearing 41 fitted over the pin 40 mounted at
the dividing member 38 is guided to move along the
vertical portion of the right angled triangular guide
wall 44 (Fig. 5), while the arm 36 is oriented
substantially horizontal In the state shown in
Fig. ED, all the paper sheets 50 which have been
removed from the curved slows 11 preceding the dividing
member 38 are piled on the conveyor belt 60, thus
obtaining a stack which comprises 100 paper sheets.
Six further paper sheets 50 are inserted in the six
curved slots 11 which follow the dividing member 38.
Fig. YE shows a state wherein the motor 63 began
to be (Fig. 4) driven at the time tlo5, 50 that the
stack of paper sheets has been slightly transferred to
the left from the position shown in Fig. ED, and the
Thea paper sheet 50 is inserted in the corresponding
curved slot 11 at the time tl06. The chart I in
Fig. indicates the starting point of -the motor 63 at
the time twos at which the Thea paper sheet is inserted
in the corresponding curved slot 11.
Fly. OF shows a state wherein the stack ox paper
sheets further transferred to the left from the
position shown in Fig. YE and no obstacle is -therefore
present on the conveyor belt 60 so a to prevent the
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downward movement of the dividing member 38. In this
condition, the dividing member 38 is moved further
downward from the position indicated in Fig. YE, and the
paper sheets 50 removed from the blade wheel 10 are
meanwhile stacked on the second blade 37, and therefore
on the dividing member 38. The subsequent paper sheet
is sequentially inserted in the curved slot which is
passing the sheet reception position. The extending
portion 58 as -the distal end portion of the dividing
lo member 38 effectively serves to pile the paper sheets 50
stably on the dividing member 38.
Fig. 7G shows a state wherein -the dividing member
38 reaches -the lowermost position from the position
indicated in Fig. OF. In this case, the axis
(corresponding to point P) of the dividing member 38
is superposed on point B shown in Fig. 5. In
Fig. 5 the second blade 37 is shown to be in contact
with the conveyor belt 60. However, as shown in
Fig. 2, since the conveyor belt 60 it located between
the dividing members aye and 38b, the dividing member
38 can be rotated about the axis corresponding to
point P. The conveyor belt 60 cannot interfere with
this rotational. movement. The state shown in Fig. 7G
corresponds to the time tllg of the chart (a) in
Fig. 6. The time interval To indicates the duration
from the time twos to the time tllg. The paper sheets
from the Thea to ll9th paper sheets art inserted in
L3~3/~
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the corresponding curved slots if during the time
interval To.
Fig. OH is a state wherein the dividing member 38
has been rotated through 90 in the counterclockwise
direction in accordance with movement of -the conveyor
belt 34 from the positron shown in Fig. 7G. Upon
rotation of the dividing member 38, the paper sheets 50
received on the second blade 37 are -transferred from the
dividing member 38 to the conveyor belt 60 to make a
sheet stack. Thereafter, the paper sheets 50 removed
from the blade wheel 10 are sequentially put on the
obtained sheet stack. At the time indicated in Fig. OH
the Thea paper sheet 50 is inserted in the corresponding
curved slot if.
Fig. I shows a state wherein the dividing member
38 is moved to the right while the arm 36 is vertically
oriented as shown in Fig. OH, and the axis (point P) of
the dividing member 38 coincides with point C, and
the dividing member 38 has been rotated through about
120 in the counterclockwise direction.
Fig. 7J shows a state wherein the conveyor belt 34
has been further driven from the position shown in
Fig. I and the dividing member 38 is returning
to the position shown in Fig. PA.
Fig. OK shows a state wherein the dividing member
38 was completed it linear movement, the axes of the
dividing member 38 and blade wheel lo are superposed on
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point A, the clutch mechanism 23 is disabled, and the
second blade 37 of the dividing member 38 is stopped at
the stop position. The state shown in Fig. OK Corey
spends to the time at which the Thea paper sheet 50
is inserted in the corresponding curved slot 11 of the
blade wheel 10. This time corresponds to the time tl50
of the chart (a) in Fig. 6. A time interval between the
times tllg and also is a time interval To. A-t the time
tl50, as shown in the chart (h) in Fig. 6, the clutch
mechanism 23 is deenergized, and the dividing member 38
is disabled. However, in this state, the motor 18 is
still operated. Therefore, paper sheets 50 continue to
be sequentially inserted in the corresponding curved
slots 11 which pass the sheet reception position, and
the number of paper sheets piled on the conveyor
belt 60 increases. When the Thea paper sheet is
inserted in the corresponding curved slot 11 and before
the sty paper sheet is inserted in the next curved slot
11, the clutch mechanism 23 is driven as shown in the
chart (b) in Fig. 6. Thereafter, the dividing member 38
is rotated to divide the previous 100 paper sheets from
the sty to Thea paper sheets. The operation is the
same as that in Figs. PA to OK, and a detailed
description thereof will be omitted. Reference symbols
Tat, t200 and Tbl of chart (a) in Fig. 6 correspond
to Tax too and Tub respectively. As described above,
the dividing member 38 is rotated about point C
- 28 -
through about 120 from the state in Fig. OH to the
state in Fig. I. This is performed to eliminate the
drawback that the second blade 37 of the dividing
member 38 is brought into contact with the paper sheet
50 rotating in the curved slot so as to disturb the
proper movement of the paper sheet 50 and to damage it
when the dividing member 38 performs parallel movement
in the I direction and when -the distance between points
B and C is short
As may be apparent from the above description,
when the conveyor belts 46 and 47, and the lade wheel
10 are drive continuously, and the clutch mechanism 23
and the motor 63 are properly operated, paper sheets
continuously supplied are divided into stacks of a fixed
number of paper sheets and each stack is sequentially
transferred to a predetermined position. During the
above-mentioned dividing and transferring operations
the blade wheel 10 is rotated continuously. The control
system of the motor and the clutch mechanism will be
described with the following description of another
embodiment of the present invention.
It it noted that the dividing member 38 travels
along the loop of conveyor belt 34 and returns to the
initial position when predetermined paper sheets (50 in
this embodiment) have been fed. In this case, since the
paper sheets are divided by every 100 paper sheets,
the predetermined number 50 described above may be
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changed within a range of 100 sheets.
A paper-sheet dividing apparatus according to a
second embodiment ox the present invention will now be
described with reference to Figs. 8, 9 and 10. In the
first embodiment, the dividing members aye and 38b are
disposed outside the blade wheels lo and lob
respectively. Dividing members aye and 138b are
disposed between blade wheels lo and lob This
arrangement of the dividing members 138 allows handling
of a narrow paper sheet. The members of the second
embodiment are similar to those of the firs-t embodiment
and are designated by reference numerals obtained by
adding 100 to those used in the first embodiment.
Figs. 8, 9 and 10 correspond to Fig. 1, 2 and 4,
respectively. As shown in Fig. 9, a fixing plate 102
is fixed perpendicularly on a base plate 101. Support
plates aye, 103b, 103c and 103d which have substantially
the same construction are disposed substantially
parallel to the base plate 101. Shafts 107, 108
and 109 are rotatable supported a positions of
each of the support plates 103c and 103d. These
positions correspond to points A, B and C in Fig. 5.
The shaft 108 is disposed perpendicular to the
surface of the drawing at the position B in Fig 8
- 25 However, the shaft 108 is omitted for illustrative
convenience. Points A, B and C constitutes
substantially a right-angled triangle in the same
- 30 -
manner as in Fig. 5. The shaft 107 it supported on the
support plates 103c and 103d respectively -through
bearings aye and 104b. Similarly, the shaft 108 is
supported through bearings aye and 106b, and -the shaft
109 is supported -through bearings aye and 105b. The
bearings aye and 106b should be illustrated at the
position B in Fig. 8, but are omitted for illustrative
convenience. Bearings 104c and 104d are mounted in the
support plates aye and 103b and serve to mount a shaft
170 coccal with the shaft 107 (Fig. 9). A blade
wheel Lola is mounted on an extending portion of -the
shaft 170 which extends to the right from the support
plate 103b. A blade wheel lob is mounted on a portion
of the shaft 107 which is sandwiched between the support
plates 103c and 103d. The blade wheel 110 has the same
shape as the blade wheel 10 of the first embodiment.
More particularly, the blade wheel 110 has 12 irrupt
blades 112 and 12 curved slots 111. The curved slots
111 and first blades 112 of the collecting wheels Lola
and lob are aligned with each other along the axial
direction when viewed along the shafts 107 and 170.
A pulley aye is mounted on the shaft 170 between the
support pi toes aye and 103b. A pulley 114b is mounted
on the shaft 107 h~tween the support plates 103c and
103d. As shown in Fig. 10, a shaft 115 coupled to a
motor 118 which is then mounted on the base plate 101
through a proper member (not shown extends -through the
it.
I
support plates 103d, 103c and 103b up to -the support
plate aye. A pulley aye is mounted between -the support
plates aye and 103b, and a pulley 116b is mounted
between the support plates 103c and 103d. The pulleys
aye and 116b are coupled to the pulleys aye and 114b
through transmission belts aye end 117b, respectively.
A pulley 119 is mounted on the shaft 115 between a guide
plate 142 and the support plate 103c. A shut 124
mounted on the base plate 101 and the guide plate
103c is coaxial with a shaft 121 with one end mounted
on the guide plate 142. The shafts 124 and 121 are
coupled/decoupled by means owe a clutch mechanism 123
disposed there between. A pulley 122 mounted on the shaft
121 is coupled to the pulley 119 through a transmission
belt 120. A pull 125 is mounted on the shaft 124
between the support plates 103c and 103d. The pulley
125 is coupled through the transmission belt 126 to 2
pulley 127 (Fig. 9) mounted on the shaft 109. As shown
in Fig. 9, a pulley 128 is mounted on an extending
portion of the shaft 109 which extends to the effete
from the support plate 103c. A pulley 13Q is mounted
through a bearing 129 on an extending portion of the
shaft 107 which extends to the let from the support
plate 103c. The axes of the pulleys 128 and ].30 are
positioned at points C and A yin Fig. 8, respectively.
A pulley 132 (Fig. 8) is mounted on a shaft 108 (not
shown) between the support plate 103c and the guide
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7 ~11~ '
- 32 -
plate 142. A conveyor belt 134 is looped around the
pulleys 132, 130 and 120 in a right-angled triangular
shape.
As shown in Fig. 9, a dividing member 138 having
the same structure and function as that of the dividing
member 38 is mounted on the conveyor belt 134. The
dividing member 138 is driven together with the conveyor
belt 134 and serves to divide the paper sheets 150
supplied to the blade wheel 110 into groups each
lo including a fixed number of paper sheets. A pin 140
and a bearing 141 which are mounted in the dividing
member 138 are guided along a wall 144 of a guide recess
143 so as to circulate the dividing member 138 along
a predetermined loop.
Conveyor belts 146 and 147 are disposed at the
upper portion of the blade wheel 110 and driven
along traveling paths defined by pulleys 145 and 148.
The paper sheet 150 to be divided through a conveying
path 149 formed between the conveyor belts 146 and 147
20 is supplied to the blade wheel 110. Detectors 155 are
arranged at two sides of the conveying path 149 to count
the number of paper sheets 150 passing by. A stopper
151 (Fig. 8) which has substantially the same shape and
function as the stopper 51 of the first embodiment is
25 disposed between the guide plate 142 and the support
plate 103c (Fig. 9).
As shown in Fig. 8, a conveyor belt 160 is
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disposed under the blade wheel 110 to support a stack
including a fixed number of paper sheets 150 discharged
from the slots 11 and transfer the sheet stack to a
predetermined position at a predetermined time. The
conveyor belt 160 is driven by a pulley 161 which is
rotated by a motor 163 shown in Fig. 10.
A control circuit for controlling the paper-sheet
dividing apparatus shown in Fig. 8 in accordance with
a signal from the detector 155 will be described
hereinafter. The paper sheets 150 are fed to the
blade wheel one by one at fixed time intervals. The
blade wheel 110 is driven at a constant speed core-
sponging to the time intervals. The paper sheets 150
are sequentially inserted in the corresponding curved
slots 111. time lag is present between the time
when the detector 155 detects toe paper sheet 150 and
the time when the same paper sheet 150 is inserted in
the corresponding curved slot 111. Al-though the number
of paper sheets actually inserted in the corresponding
curved slots is smaller than that detected by the
detector 155, the difference between the number of
paper sheets actually inserted in the corresponding
curved slots and the number of paper sheets detected by
the detector 155 is constant. Therefore, when a value
corresponding to this difference is subtracted from the
value indicated by the signal from the detector 155,
the last paper sheet inserted in the curved slot can be
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calculated. The process for dividing the paper sheets,
making stacks and transferring each of the stacks is
similar to the two embodiments described above.
A system for controlling the apparatus shown in
Fig. 8 will now be described with reference to the timing
charts I (b) and (c) of Fig. 6, incorporating the
detector ].55, a counter 200, an amplifier 201~ and three
switches 202, 203 and 204. The counter 200 counts
output signals from the detector 155 and corrects the
difference of the paper sheet numbers. As a result,
every time the count of the counter 200 reach 100, 105,
119, 150 and 200, the counter 200 produces control
signals at times too, twos, tllg~ tl50~ and t200
Each control signal is amplified by the amplifier 201 to
have a proper magnitude, and is then used to drive the
switches 202, 203 and 204. The switch 202 is used to
energize/deenergize the motor 63 for driving the conveyor
belt 160. The switch 203 is used to energize/deenergize
the clutch mechanism 123 for starting/terminating the
operation of the dividing member 138. The switch 204
is used to energize/deenergize the motor 118 for
rotating the blade wheel 110 and the dividing member
138. When the motors 118 and 163 and the clutch
mechanism 123 are driven by -the three switches 202,
203 and 204 in accordance with the signals from
the amplifier 201, units of 100 paper sheets or
stacks each divided from the paper sheets supplied
.
- 35 -
to the blade wheel 110 can be transferred to the
predetermined position. A motor and a switch for
driving the conveyor belts 146 and 147 are not
illustrated in Fig. 80 The motor (not shown) may be
S electrically connected to the switch 204 so as to
energize/deenergize it together with the motor 118.
The detector 155, the counter 200, the amplifier 201
and the switches 202, 203 and 204 constitute the
controlling means for controlling the apparatus of the
present invention.
Modifications applied to the apparatuses of the
first and second embodiments will now be described
in order.
(1) In the above mentioned embodiments, the
lo second blade 37 extending along an involute curve has a
shape in accordance with the shapes of the first blade
12 of the blade wheel 10 and the curved slot 11. These
shapes of the first and second blades are useful to
decrease the insertion speed of the paper sheet 50 (150)
inserted in the curved space 11 (111). If the second
blade has a proper shape for this purpose, it may have,
for example an arcuated or cycloidal shape. Furthermore,
if the pap r sheet is very hard or rigid and will not
be damaged even if it strongly abuts against the stopper
51 (151~, the first and second blades 12 (112) and 37
(137) may have a linear shape. The width of thy first
blade 12 may be difersnt from that of the proximal
I.
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portion 57 ox the second blade 37 of the dividing
member 38. In brief, for inserting the paper sheet 50
(150) in the curved slot 11 (111) at this sheet reception
position, any structure may be used for the deviling
member 38 provided that it does not interfere with the
insertion operation. The essential feature of such A
structure is that the second blade 37 (137), positioned
immediately before the slot 11 (111) which is passing
the paper sheet reception position is driven to rotate
at substantially the same angular velocity as what of
the first blade 12 (112), before a paper sheet 50 (153),
to be divided arrives at the slot 11 (111). With the
second blade 37 ~137) moving in the manner described
above, the second blade 37 (137), is able to divide
the paper sheets 50 (150), supplied to this apparatus
without interference from the paper sheets moving into
the slot 11.
(2) The dividing member 38 (138) in both the
embodiments need not be driven by a belt conveyor
means. For example, a combination of a stepping motor
and a linear motor, and a chain driving system may be
used if such a driving system does not depart from the
spirit and scope of the present invention. In brief, it
is only necessary that the dividing member 38 (138), can
receive and support the first fixed number of paper sheets
discharged, and, while supporting them, move toward
a transfer means up to a prescribed position to remove
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the supported paper sheets onto the transfer means.
The movement of the dividing member 38 (138) is not
limited to movement along the substantially right-angled
triangular path as previously described. For example,
after moving to the position indicated in Fig EYE, the
dividing member 38 (138) may be moved upward while
maintaining the posture in Fig. OH to a position at
which the axis of it is coaxial with that of the blade
wheel lo (lo), instead of moving horizontally as in
the above embodiments.
(3) In the above embodiments, the dividing member
38 (138) is rotated to remove the supported paper
sheets on the dividing member 38 (138) to the conveyor
belt 60 ~160). However, the dividing member 38 (138),
may be moved downward below the conveyor belt 60 (160
to remove the supported paper sheets thereon.
(4) In the above embodiments, two blade wheels
lo (Lola) and lob (lob) and the dividing members aye
(aye and 38b (138b) are used. However, if a wide
paper sheet is used, more than two blade wheels lo (110)
and dividing members 38 (138) may be used so as to
eliminate unstable transfer of the paper sheet.
(5) In the above embodiments, the blade wheel lo
(lo) is made as a single unit. However, it may
comprise a disc portion and a plurality of separately
manufactured first blades 12 (11~) mounted on the
periphery of the disc portion.
. .
